A revamp of Preston Park Museum and gardens, a new “Tees Valley Giant” sculpture and a refit of Billingham Railway Station were on the bill.

Bids to gather funds to develop vacant land at Belasis Business Park, outside Billingham, money to explore extra parking in Yarm and an extension to the former Victoria Estate through a “Norton Road Gateway” were also on the agenda.

And work to build an alternative proposal for the Northshore Development site also made the list.

Latest part of the Northshore Development which has started work on stage 3 (Image: Ian Cooper)

All the ideas were backed by the council’s leaders to try and seek funding from the combined authority.

She added: “I really hope this comes to fruition - it’s already the most visited park in the Tees Valley.”

Cllr Ann McCoy was happy with the £100,000 bid to the TVCA to get a £4m Billingham Station refit going in her home town.

She added: “It’s not just about people with disabilities - it’s about young families who have pushchairs and prams who might find holding onto another child they have with them difficult.”

Cllr Jim Beall was happy with the overall “Stockton focus” in the report.

Jim Beall

He added: “It reminds me of a saying I was told years ago - shy bairns get nowt. We do need to put forward well worked out proposals while not being greedy in the process.”

And Cllr Neil Cooke thought the update was timely.

“I think quite often people on the street don’t realise what the combined authority is all about,” he added.

“This is a really good plan and really good work.”

Meanwhile, there were other recommendations passed and developments revealed by the council’s leaders.

AUTISM DAY SERVICE REVAMP

Members voted through a bid to kick off a new plan for autism services in the borough.

The existing Ware Street Resource Centre was praised for all it had done but a revamp to increase its capacity to 20, sort out its “poor state of decor” and “lack of toilet facilities” was agreed by councillors.

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Cllr Beall, cabinet member for adult social care and health, said: “This is a major investment to make this facility better. I’ve visited Ware Street and it’s heart-warming to see that already goes on.

“We do need to improve the fabric of that building.”

LOOKING AFTER CHILDREN

Stockton Council agreed to back a new strategy for how it looks after children in its care.

Martin Gray, director of children’s services, told the cabinet how the authority was looking to establish a “corporate board” to deal with parenting.

Cllr McCoy, who is lead cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This is a report all members should be really proud of.

“Sometimes we only do things that members can be proud of but everyone can be proud of this.”

Leader Cllr Bob Cook added: “It’s something we needed to update - being a corporate parent is one of the core things we do.

“We need to ensure kids in our charge have got the right things so they can get on in life as they get older.”

£30M FOR ADULT EDUCATION

In an update from the combined authority, Cllr Cook told colleagues the TVCA had received £30m to put towards adult education - courtesy of the Department for Education.

He told the cabinet some of the money would be “re-financed” with further education colleges.

And he said the money had “taken a while” to come but was “only one or two years late”.

“It’s better late than never and it’s another £30m to spend,” he added.

Neil Schneider (Image: Teesside Live)

CUTBACKS AT THE TOP

Plans for a smaller senior management team at the council were agreed to save £4.1m.

Proposals were drawn up in 2015 to reduce the number of roles at the top of the council to save about £1m a year.

It means the council will plan for the departure of chief executive Neil Schneider at the end of next year.

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After the meeting, Cllr Cook said: “The sad fact is Stockton Council has shed more than 1,100 staff in the last five years and we need to continue to reduce our senior management to reflect this.

“By making these savings we can focus our resources on protecting as much as possible.”

Mr Schneider added: “I’m not going anywhere just yet – I feel a huge sense of loyalty and commitment to this organisation, and to the borough, and I am wholly committed to supporting any succession process, whatever that may look like.